Awful Weather, Getting Lost on the CTR & WHS ODE

The past couple of weeks the weather has been absolutely revolting but its not stopped us getting out and about. Last week we went to the Riding Clubs CTR in Woodhill Forest. Unfortunately we got horribly lost so ended up just having a bimble around the forest. On Saturday Vanessa our current HelpXer from the UK rode Finn at the Woodhill Sands Mini ODE. She'd not jumped him until a few days before so it was a bit of a baptism of fire but they both handled it very well. The course was all portable jumps set up on the sand as the grass areas resembled a paddy feild. First up was the dressage test and apart from a couple of minor oopsies it was a good test to end up in second place. Then the showjumping which was clear and straight into the Crosscountry. There were 8 jumps set up and you had to jump the compulsory 8 numbered fences and then 2 of choice. The bigger the jump the higher the score.
Vanessa started out on a the little Intro option for the first fence and then was away jumping the Training options. She was very pleased to finish 1st overall. Finny is such a star.
His coat has come right now and hes put on heaps of weight but this weeks Pumpkins turn to be 'off' Hes been a bit shortstriding for the past week and I thought there was an abscess brewing. Despite poulticing what I thought was the offending foot nothing appeared and there was no heat anyway. Baffling. Today James came to reshoe him and upon taking off the shoe found a teeny tiny little blackhead under the shoe. I was on the right side but it was the back foot not the front one I had been poulticing Doh!
There was just a teeny bit of liquid coming out so it was soaked while the other shoes were put on. He then put on some Keratex Nail hole disenfectant onto the hole and reshod him and presto no more shortstriding. Instant success. This weekend is Woodhill Sands Dressage Again. Pray for a nice day for us. We have been drenched on for all but one of the days thus far. Pics of the ODE will be posted once my Handy Dandy Picture poster person comes back from a business trip. Silly me relys on him so much that I still don't know how to put them on the 'puter!